Q. I just got a new computer and want to protect it from all the bad stuff
out there. But I’m on a tight budget so I’m wondering if there are any
decent free antivirus programs out there? One friend says I shouldn’t trust
what came with Windows and another friend says that Microsoft now has its
act together. What should I believe?

A. The short answer is that they are both right. For older versions of
Windows (XP, ME, or Windows 98), the friend who advised caution about using
the security software that came with Windows is correct. The general
consensus is that these older versions of protection leave a lot to be
desired and cannot be trusted completely so it was wise to use other methods
of protection than that provided with Windows.

However, your new computer should have Windows 7 on it and that is a whole
new ballgame. Windows 7 uses Microsoft Security Essentials. This wonderful
free download not only protects you against viruses, spyware and malware, it
works quietly in the background and doesn’t slow down your system at all,
unlike most of the other popular anti-virus programs. The security suite is
integrated into the operating system and as a result it’s able to function
in the background without hogging system resources and hindering any work
that’s going on in the foreground. As per various tests conducted online,
it’s able to detect and remove 99% of all threats in various virus and
spyware forms. This performance is not only impressive but a huge upgrade
over what Microsoft had to offer previously.

No need to buy expensive anti virus software or spyware solutions anymore.
Just go and download the Microsoft Security Essentials for free from
Microsoft.com as soon as you connect your new computer to the Internet and
you will keep your PC threat free. Just search the Microsoft website for
Microsoft Security Essentials. Note that Security Essentials is also
available for older versions of Windows.

Published: Courier 3/4/12 - Page 5C

This article has been written by a PCS member and was published in "The Daily Courier"
of Prescott, Arizona on the date listed above. While current when
written, these articles may contain outdated information and you should
check with other sources prior to relying on the article's contents.